Wenchow will soon be completely cut off, and then the assault can begin. I just hate 'killing' Chinese units this early in the game as they just comeback like The Walking Dead 30 days after destruction, sometimes better equipped than they started. I'm glad to see my opponent is playing the long game in China and is already formulating a coherent strategy to deal with the IJA. This is SO interesting!!

Good!! We are ashore both at Rabaul and Gasmata!! Gasmata will be taken tomorrow as there is no opposition, and I am expecting Rabaul to be taken in 2-3 days. I always take Gasmata first, as it makes the defenders of Rabaul surrender rather than retreat because there is not a base near enough.

So she survived the daylight hours yesterday, and tried to limp back to Australia. Goes to show you how wrong you can be in 'assessing' Combat Reports. I'm definitely notching this one up on I-18's belt now though, as she's had 3 torps in her, she must have gone down

For the last few turns, I've not been getting the results I expect from such heavy bombing. I have been putting it down to weather, but this turn was Light Cloud, and still the results were pretty poor.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Morning Air attack on Wenchow , at 89,58

Weather was perfect, and still poor results for 60+ Sallys. They are at the extreme limit of their range though, to be fair. I've had Recon reports for three consecutive days indicating there is 11,000 troops in Blair.......Boo!!!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Morning Air attack on Luganville , at 120,150

Here is the proposed method for breaking the Chinese position in China. Any comments/suggestions and/or critiques of the outline will be gratefully received!!

First up is 1st & 12th Armies Operational Plan for 1942.

Code Name: Winter Storm

1st & 12th Armies

1. Chengchow

This objective should few problems as the river line to the south west has been breached. I am expecting the battle to go in one of two ways as DH seems to be picking ( very sensibly ) important cities and x3 terrain to put up his lines of defence;

1. A large force from the SW will enter the city and then eject the troops pushing them up to the second objective Loyang, which will then be assaulted from Chengchow .

2. Forces will infiltrate from the South ( already secured ), and from the North ( not yet realised ), cutting off Chengchow and Loyang from their supply and then siegeing them as they slowly disintegrate.

Downside:- Will take longer to achieve, and the destroyed troops will appear again in 30days at 1/4 strength in Chungking. Upside:- Will significantly reduce losses, and reduce supply consumption.

Both approaches require complete cooperation with the air force, in reducing the enemy's position.

Nanyang

This objective is prone to being cut off and should not cause significant problems to the advance.

Yenan

A tricky objective that unfortunately has to be taken, as it sits on the flank of the advance in a secure location. It is also one of the home bases of the Communist elements of Chinese resistance. Always a problem if the Chinese decide to really bolster its defence, but it has to razed at all costs.

Sian

1st & 12th Armies ultimate objective for 1942. It is significant as it secures not only 11th and 13th Armies flank, but it also has strategic resources, ie oil. Not huge amounts but enough to make it a priority objective for 1942.

Ningsia and Ankang are incidental objectives and should not be problem for 1st & 12th Armies seasoned veterans.

The decision has already been taken by General S. Hata ( Commander China Expeditionary Army, based in Hwainan ), that Wenchow is to be surrounded, cut off and reduced to rubble by artillery bombardment and aerial assault. This Operation is underway as we speak.

2. Kanhsien & Kukong

These are 13th Armies responsibility, to take these cities and flank Changsha/Henyang from the South.

3. Chusien

Once Wenchow is taken, 11th Army will chew up this objective. No problems are foreseen at this time.

4. Changsha, Siangtan, Shaoyang & Henyang

11th & 13th Armies will converge together on these four objectives. Changsha is to the East of the river, and will fall by full frontal assault. Depending how DH plays it out, getting over the river could be costly. If he throws the kitchen sink at Changsha, then the river crossing should not be too much of a problem, but if he puts up a token resistance in Changsha and defends in depth along the river line and forest hexes it could be costly, but it is still achievable.

5.Chihkiang & Changteh

After the envisioned battles in and around Changhsa, these two will be a walk in the park by comparison.

11th & 13th Armies will be heavily reinforced from units paid for in PP's from Manchuria, as these two Armies have some difficult objectives to attain.

Nevertheless Imperial Headquarters feel that the objectives can be achieved in the allotted time frame.

Argentina Maru goes down later in the turn, but 600 troops are rescued from the water. This fiasco is entirely of my own doing, as I mistimed the next Bombardment group which will not hit until tomorrow.

Well that cheered me up a bit after the disaster at Ambon!! I have found one of his tanker route's and am using it to create the Japanese version of the U-Boats 'Happy Time'.Its been nearly a tanker turn!!

In China Wenchow endures another horrendous day of artillery and aerial bombardment. In Burma, forward elements of the 15th Army should be in Rangoon tomorrow. Singapore gets blasted from the air, as does Manila.Ambon will be Shock Attacked tomorrow by the 5th Amph Brigade.